It is with heavy hearts that we share news of the passing of Professor of Dance Emerita, Françoise Martinet. A charter member of the Joffrey Ballet, Martinet joined the UI dance faculty in 1978, where she worked for more than twenty years, until her retirement in 2002. She served as chair of the Department of Dance from 1987-1991, and throughout her tenure she choreographed and restaged many ballets for the department. Upon her retirement, the department established the Françoise Martinet Scholarship fund. A scholarship from this fund is awarded each year to a deserving student with strength and skill in ballet. The 2021-22 recipient is senior Emily Trapnell, who plans to pursue a career in contemporary ballet. Françoise’s legacy lives on our students today, and we extend our deepest sympathies to the alumni, former faculty and staff, and entire UI Dance family who were impacted by her work in the Department of Dance.

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